By: Ted Camp, Silent Word Ministries

An interesting article, “It was Hallo-ween night of October 31, 1936. The people sat at the table with joined hands. They waited for a message as they had done for the past ten years. But the message did not come. Finally, one woman rose and announced to the others, and to a listening radio audience, “Houdini did not return. My last hope is gone. I do not believe Houdini can come back to me, or to anyone...I now, reverently... turn out the light. It is finished. Good night, Harry!”

The woman was Bess Houdini, wife of the famed magician and escape artist. The magician died at the age of 52 on October 31, 1926 with an internal infection from a ruptured appendix. Shortly before his death, Houdini made a pact with Bess that if he could, he would return and make contact with her from the other side. They devised a coded message that only they knew; this would prove that it really was Houdini escaping from the afterlife. But after ten years, Bess had not received her beloved husband’s personal message. She now gave up all hope!”

The greatest escape artist was unable to keep his promise. But there is one greater than Houdini who also promised He would return again. The angels promised, “...behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:10-11).

The Scriptures promise, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (II Thessalonians 4:16-18).

The Lord Himself promised, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1-3). Bess Houdini said, “Houdini did not return. My last hope is gone!” All outside of Jesus Christ have no hope (I Thess. 4:13). All in Christ have hope.

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). The Lord came the first time to show God’s grace, He will come the second time to show God’s glory. Do you think He will return today? Well, He will come in an hour that ye think not. “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh” (Matthew 24:44). He could come tonight! Are you ready? As the old preacher said each evening, “Perhaps tonight!”

Ted Camp is director of Silent Word Ministries, a worldwide ministry to the deaf based in Trenton. E-mail him at TC@silentword.org to be added to the email list for weekly articles or phone (706) 657-8000.